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tras, with glaring black- head
lines, were rushed on to the
streets in every big'tity, and the
Christian world was stricken
with grief.
In vain, did the prelates of the
church attempt to stop the false
report. Cardinals and arch
bishops and bishops issued de
nials, but it did no good.
The denials were printed, but
only after insinuating paragraphs
about the "mysterious silence" of
Rome.
It was not until noon, eaastern
time, that it was possible to get
Into direct communication with
the Vatican. Then the following
despatch by the United Press set
at rest the fears of the people:
"Vatican denies unqualifiedly
Madrid report of Pope's death."
The difficulties of the dignator
ies of the church during the day
were manifold.
By telephone, telegraph and by
person, they were beseeched to
confirm or deny the report.
And whatever they did, it made
no difference, the newspapers
dwelled on the "silence of Rome,"
and commented on the close re
lations that existed between the
vatican -and Spain, and of how
Merry Del Val, the papal secre
tary of state, is a Spaniard, and
always has maintained close rela
tions with the Spanish govern
ment. ,
Even the difficulty of finding
out at Madrid just where the re
p i-r emanated there, did not dis
courage the newspaprs",'and the
issuing of glaring extras went on
thousands of extras announcing
the death, they issued new extras
announcing that he was not dead,
and sold thousands of them.
Washington, April 11. After
three hours of anxiety and ap
prehension, deluged by telegrams,
from every "jWt of the country,
pestered by newspapermen and
beseiged by dignatories of the
church, Mgr. Charetti, charge
d'affairs of the Papal legation,
at noon today breathed a prayer
of thankfulness wHen informed
of the official denial of the Pope!s
death by the Vatican.
Thousands of telegrams were
received by Mgr. Charettf today,
and thrpugh the doors of the '
Papal legation their swung all
daylong a stream of inquirers.
"It can't be true'e told ev-v
eryone. "It is impossible that
the announcement of the death of
the Holy Father would be sent to
Madrid alone. "All such messages
are sent out to everyegation at
the same time."
But Mgr. Charetti's protesta
tions did no good, He had not
heard from the Vatican, and no
matter what he said, he could not
prevent the further circulation of
the report of the Pope's death.
London, April 11. Three p. m.
editions of the London papers
printed the report that Pope Pius
X had died in the Vatican.
Extra editidns were issued on
the basis of a cablegram from
Madrid which declared that the
jrayai ixuncio tnere nau issued an
After the newspapers had sold tofficial staemejit . shortly after.
fesitia-atH.w-5Ji-w.